Civil Engineering Tips for construction of house

Self-Constructing or Constructing through a Contractor- Contractor and Excavation Tips

FINALISING A CONTRACTOR

1).Finalise the Rate of Construction with the Contractor at the onset. It can be settled either on Labour Rates or on With Material Basis. It is better to settle the rates as per Labour Rates provided you can yourself manage supply of good quality materials at competive rates.

2). Always get Quotes for 2-3 contractors and try to enter into a Descriptive Contract right at the beginning.

3). Arrange to make a Jhuggi or Temporary Shed for the Chawkidar & for safely keeping the Construction Materials . You could make this using bricks with mud mortar. It could be approx 8’ x 10’ size or more. Use 10’ x 3’ Tin sheets - 4 sheets are sufficient to cover the shed. A toilet for chawkidar & labour should be constructed separately.

4).For storage of water, either a tank should be constructed by masonary work or polyethylene, polypropylene tanks shold be arranged for.

5). Arrange for a Water connection & Electric temporary connection immediately for site. This can be applied for by writing to the Electricity Department and the Jal Board in your locality.

Digging of Basement & Foundation

1).Instead of manual labour, JCB earth excavation machines are used for cheaper & for expediting the work. Charges vary from Rs.750/-per 100 cft. to Rs.1000/-per 100 cft . for excavation & cartage of earth by trucks.

9).After final digging of earth, Anti-Termite Process should be taken up by experts. This should be got done very attentively & in personal supervision. If not properly done, it results in permanent headache & expenses for all times to come.

10 Comments

Lillian Moore

Jul 1, 2016

I like the suggestion to get 2-3 quotes from contractors. They will help you build the home and but in the proper building methods. They also understand the importance of civil engineering when building a home. Trust that they know how to build the home safely and efficiently.

My wife and I are planning on building a house but we are not sure where to start and who to hire. I appreciate all of the different tips about how to hire a contractor, set the rates, and start the process of building the house. Like you mentioned, it is important to get bids from multiple different contractors according to the plans that you have in mind. So in that case, It would be important to start with an architect so make the plans before going to a contractor and then going to a civil engineer to make sure that the land and designs are okay to build on.

It's interesting that spaces made by too much excavation should be filled with lean concrete instead of dirt. My husband and I want to have a septic tank installed, but we're worried about problems that might be caused by the digging. Maybe we should hire an engineering contractor who will know what to do in case there are problems during the excavation.

I liked that you talked about how you need to think about where you are going to be putting a water tank. It does seem like a good idea to do what you suggested and talk to a professional engineer about that. If I was planning on building something like a neighborhood block I would want to have a really good plan for the construction.

Thanks for the tip to get Anti-Termite process taken up by experts after the final digging. My brother is looking to get a house constructed, so I'll remind him to get the Anti-Termite process taken care of properly. He wants to get the best civil engineering he can on constructing his house.

You mentioned that you should be careful of existing electrical cables and sewer lines when you're excavating. My husband and I want to install a below-ground pool in the yard of our new house. Maybe we should hire a civil engineering service to make sure that we're not hitting any sewer lines or important cables when we dig the hole for the pool.

My dad has a new construction project. He's now looking up some heavy equipment for excavation. My uncle shared this article with him to first finalize the contractors and give him some tips for excavation.

I appreciate you helping me understand more about hiring a contractor and what to look for when he is finalizing the home. Just like you said about the finalization process, you should always get quotes from 2-3 contractors and try to enter into a Descriptive Contract right from the beginning. We have been thinking about building a home and had no idea that we needed to consult a couple of different contractors to make sure that we have it all right. Thanks again for the information!